Esa-Pekka Salonen's the Baltic Sea Festival restless innovation has marked him as one of the most important artists in contemporary classical music. He is currently the Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor for the Philharmonia Orchestra in London and the Conductor Laureate for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Daniel Harding is Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and Music Partner of the New Japan Philharmonic. He is Artistic Director of the Ohga Hall in Karuizawa, Japan and was recently honoured with the lifetime title of Conductor Laureate of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. In the spring he conducted The Flying Duchman in Staatsoper Berlin.